r 


i 


Program  / 

for 

Social  and  Health  Work 

in 

Philadelphia 


SOCIAL  AND  HEALTH  COMMITTEE 

of 

THE  CHILD  FEDERATION 

200  SOUTH  JUNIPER  STREET 
PHILADELPHIA 


(Second  Edition) 


Co-operating  Agencies 

American  Red  Cross 

Pennsylvania  and  Delaware  Division 
Southeastern  Chapter — Home  Service 
Babies  Hospital 
*Babies’  Welfare  Association 
Board  of  Public  Education 

Bureau  of  Compulsory  Education 
Physical  Education  and  Recreation 
Public  Schools 
School  Nurses 
Catholic  Children’s  Bureau 
Child  Federation 
Children’s  Aid  Society 
Children’s  Bureau 

Children’s  Bureau  of  the  Emergency  Aid 
Children’s  Hospital 
Church  Mission  of  Help 
Community  Service 
Department  of  Health 
Division  of  Child  Hygiene 
Division  of  Housing  and  Sanitation 
Division  of  Vital  Statistics 
Department  of  Public  Welfare 
Federation  of  Jewish  Charities 
General  Social  Service  Bureau 
Mount  Sinai  Hospital 
Jewish  Hospital 
Jewish  Maternity 
Girls’  Aid 

Home  Missionary  Society 
Howard  Hospital 
Jefferson  Hospital 
Jewish  Children’s  Bureau 
Juvenile  Aid  Society 
Mothers’  Assistance  Fund 


*Has  been  merged  with  The  Child  Federation. 


Municipal  Court 
Criminal  Division 
Domestic  Relations 
Juvenile 
Misdemeanants 
Neighborhood  Center 
Northern  Liberties  Association 
Parenthood  Conference 
Pennsylvania  Hospital 
Pennsylvania  School  for  Social  Service 
Personal  Service  Bureau 
Philadelphia  Association  of  Day  Nurseries 
Philadelphia  Hospital 
Philadelphia  Housing  Association 
Philadelphia  Pediatric  Society 
Philadelphia  Tuberculosis  Committee 
Phipps  Institute 
Playgrounds  Association 
Polyclinic  Hospital 
Protestant  Episcopal  City  Mission 
Public  Charities  Association  of  Pennsylvania 
Public  Education  and  Child  Labor  Association 
Registration  Bureau 
St.  Vincent  de  Paul  Society 
Salvation  Army 
Settlement  Association 
Seybert  Institution 
Society  for  Organizing  Charity 
Society  for  the  Protection  of  Colored  Women 
Society  to  Protect  Children  from  Cruelty 
Starr  Centre  Association 
Travellers’  Aid  Society 
Union  Benevolent  Association 
United  Hebrew  Charities 
University  Hospital 
Visiting  Nurse  Society 
White  Williams  Foundation  for  Girls 


3 


Introduction 


This  Program  was  drafted  more  than  a  year  ago. 
Its  purpose  was  to  clarify  our  thinking  as  a  necessary  pre¬ 
requisite  to  effective  action.  Moreover,  we  had  been  think¬ 
ing  chiefly  in  terms  of  individual  agencies  or  of  one  line  of 
work.  This  was  an  attempt  to  stimulate  thinking  in  terms 
of  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  After  being  approved  by  the 
members  of  the  Social  and  Health  Committee  of  The  Child 
Federation — then  representing  twenty-five  private  and  gov¬ 
ernmental  agencies — it  was  submitted  to  the  boards  of 
these  agencies.  There  it  was  the  subject  of  many  discus¬ 
sions  but  was  finally  approved  by  a  majority,  the  others 
declining  to  commit  themselves  at  the  time 

The  purpose  of  the  Program  was  achieved,  however,  as 
the  discussions  compelled  definite  thinking  on  the  prin¬ 
ciples  involved.  The  result  has  been  a  notable  develop¬ 
ment  of  public  opinion  which  has  found  expression  in  the 
discussions  of  the  Constitutional  Revision  Commission,* 
now  in  session,  in  the  attitude  of  private  agencies  toward 
the  administration  of  an  emergency  fund  from  the  city 
treasury  for  the  relief  of  widowed  mothers,  and  in  the  atti¬ 
tude  of  certain  private  agencies  which  receive  government 
subsidies  or  whose  boards  contained  public  officials 

The  definite  proposals  have  necessarily  been  consider¬ 
ably  revised  during  the  course  of  the  year,  for,  as  proph¬ 
esied,  certain  things  have  been  accomplished,  the  emphasis 
on  others  has  been  changed.  The  new  city  charter  has 
been  adopted,  adjustments  between  departments  advocated 
a  year  ago  are  now  being  made  or  have  been  made,  the 
greater  efficiency  in  those  municipal  services  which  have 
to  do  with  sanitation  in  order  that  homes  and  neighbor¬ 
hoods  may  be  kept  cleaner  and  more  wholesome,  is  now 
happily  under  way 

The  new  city  charter  creates  a  new  Department  of 
Public  Welfare,  in  whose  success  all  the  agencies  are 

*The  Public  Charities  Association  is  advocating  such  a  change 
throughout  the  state. 


4 


deeply  concerned.  Its  organization  and  effective  function¬ 
ing  will  be  one  of  the  most  important  items  on  the  local 
program  during  the  coming  year. 

Both  governmental  and  private  agencies  have  joined 
in  a  most  promising  effort  to  demonstrate  the  practicability 
of  co-ordinated  work  as  outlined  under  II  Private  Agencies, 
Co-ordination  of  Work,  etc.  They  have  selected  one  of  the  „ 
old  wards  as  the  Social  and  Health  District.  This  ward, 
which  contains  a  population  of  approximately  23,000,  was 
selected  because  it  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  congested 
sections  of  the  city  where  the  technical  difficulties  to  over¬ 
come  are  greatest  and  where  there  were  already  the  largest 
number  of  active  agencies.  Coincident  with  this,  func¬ 
tions  are  being  definitely  stated,  methods  improved  and 
standards  raised.  Sixty-seven  agencies  are  now  co-operat¬ 
ing  in  this  effort  under  the  following  groups : 

Public  Health  Nursing  Agencies 

Case  Work  Social  Agencies,  with  Reference 
to  the  Family 
I  General 
II  Protective 

III  Child  Caring 

IV  Hospital  Social  Service 

Community  Agencies 


February  1920 


Program 

For  Social  and  Health  Work 
in  Philadelphia 

The  Social  and  Health  Committee,  composed  of  repre¬ 
sentatives  of  many  agencies  which  deal  with  civic  and 
social  problems  affecting  the  well-being  of  the  children  of 
Philadelphia  and  their  families,  after  a  year  of  co-operative 
effort  which  has  brought  these  agencies  to  a  better  mutual 
understanding  of  each  other’s  aims  and  methods,  believes 
that  the  most  promising  forward  step  now  may  be  taken 
through  the  formulation  and  acceptance  of  a  program  that 
will  be  city-wide  in  its  scope  and  will  include  all  phases  of 
social  and  health  work.  This  program  must  be  construct¬ 
ive.  It  must: 

State  general  principles  which  will  serve  as  guides  in 
formulating  concrete  proposals 

Formulate  a  series  of  concrete  proposals  dealing  with 
the  most  pressing  needs  of  the  moment.  This  list, 
however,  can  not  be  made  complete  and  will  neces¬ 
sarily  be  subject  to  constant  change  as  items  on 
it  are  disposed  of  or  as  other  needs  become  press¬ 
ing 

I 

STATEMENT  OF  PRINCIPLES  TO  SERVE  AS  GUIDES  IN 
FORMULATING  CONCRETE  PROPOSALS 

Distinction  Between  Private  and  Official  Agencies 

As  the  first  item  in  such  a  program  the  committee 
makes  the  following  general  statement  of  belief: 

That  there  should  be  a  clear  distinction  between  private 
or  citizens’  agencies  and  official  or  governmental  agencies 

The  former,  it  believes,  are  primarily  for  the  purpose 
of  study,  experiment,  demonstration  and  informing  of  pub¬ 
lic  opinion.  In  general  their  functions  are  to  study  and 
report  upon  conditions;  to  initiate  and  try  out  new  policies; 
to  carry  these  on  at  least  until  their  utility  has  been  estab¬ 
lished,  when  they  may  or  may  not  be  taken  over  by  gov¬ 
ernmental  agencies;  to  maintain  experimental  enterprises 


6 


designed  to  demonstrate  the  value  of  social  theories;  to 
supplement  the  work  of  weak  governmental  agencies  when 
necessary  but  only  so  long  as  necessary ;  to  keep  constantly 
in  touch  with  the  work  of  governmental  agencies  so  that 
they  may  aid  by  constructive  criticism  and  support;  to 
carry  on  a  constant  campaign  of  information  designed  to 
interest  and  inform  the  general  public  as  to  needs  and 
opportunities  within  their  respective  fields 

The  latter,  it  believes,  are  primarily  for  the  purpose 
of  administration.  Their  chief  function  is  to  carry  out 
with  the  greatest  possible  technical  ability  the  duties 
imposed  upon  them  by  law.  Certain  governmental  agencies 
are  charged  with  experiment  and  the  dissemination  of 
information,  but  in  general  such  work  is  limited  to  experi¬ 
mentation  with  processes  and  to  the  dissemination  of  facts 
and  statistics  in  which  propaganda  or  the  expression  of 
opinion  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  The  distinction  here 
made,  of  course,  would  not  in  any  way  curtail  the  right  of  a 
governmental  agency  to  adopt  improved  methods  or  to 
request  enlarged  powers  or  wider  scope  when  its  experience 
shows  that  they  will  increase  its  efficiency.  Such  initiative 
on  the  part  of  governmental  agencies  is  to  be  encouraged. 
Nor  should  the  distinction  be  interpreted  to  mean  any  cur¬ 
tailment  of  the  right  of  governmental  agencies  definitely 
charged  with  this  duty,  to  supervise  private  agencies  which 
exercise  any  authority  over  the  persons  or  property  of 
others.  Private  child  caring  agencies,  for  example,  should 
be  under  the  closest  supervision  of  governmental  agencies. 
But  the  functions  and  responsibilities  of  each  should  be 
clearly  distinguished.  In  this  connection  it  should  be  stated 
that  the  governmental  agencies  in  mind  are  the  continuing 
departments  or  bureaus,  not  elected  officials  or  legislators 
who  are  elected  to  carry  out  policies  which  have  been  put 
before  the  electorate  or  to  frame  such  policies.  The  latter 
do  not  come  within  the  purview  of  this  program  nor  do 
the  commissions  or  committees  appointed  by  the  admin¬ 
istration  or  the  legislative  body  with  power  only  to  inves¬ 
tigate  and  report  or  advise 

In  other  words  the  private  or  citizens’  agency  repre¬ 
sents  a  group  of  citizens  who,  because  of  special  interest  in 


7 


some  matter  of  community  importance,  have  associated 
themselves  to  study  it  more  thoroughly  than  they  could  in 
their  individual  capacities,  or  to  support  such  study,  to 
demonstrate  the  validity  or  utility  of  proposals  that  they 
believe  will  promote  the  public  welfare,  to  maintain  a  closer 
and  more  informed  contact  with  those  governmental  activi¬ 
ties  in  which  they  are  particularly  interested  than  would  be 
possible  for  them  as  individual  citizens ;  and  to  place  before 
their  fellow  citizens  whose  interest  in  these  particular  mat¬ 
ters  is  not  so  keen,  their  findings  and  recommendations  as 
aids  in  the  formation  of  a  constructive  public  opinion 

On  the  other  hand  governmental  agencies,  which  are 
supposed  to  represent,  not  a  special  group,  but  the  whole 
electorate,  cannot  successfully  originate  policies  or  carry 
through  those  which  have  not  received  a  large  measure  of 
popular  support.  Attempts  to  do  so  would  not  only  arouse 
opposition  on  the  score  that  they  are  seeking  to  exercise 
powers  with  which  they  have  not  been  entrusted,  but  would 
lessen  their  efficiency  by  distracting  them  from  their  prime 
function* 

Close  Co-operation  But  No  Organic  Connection 

Granted  these  distinctions  between  private  or  citizens5 
agencies  and  official  or  governmental  agencies,  it  follows 
that  while  there  should  be  the  closest  practicable  co-opera¬ 
tion,  that  while  consultations  and  conferences  should  be 
frequent  and  frank,  there  should  be  no  organic  connection 
between  the  two  kinds  of  agencies.  Representatives  of  one 
should  not  sit  as  members  of  boards  of  occupy  offices  that 
will  give  them  authority  in  the  other.  Public  funds  should 
not  be  granted  to  private  agencies,  nor  should  private  con¬ 
tributions  be  turned  over  for  expenditure  to  governmental 
agencies 

*There  has  been  some  confusion  of  thought  on  this  subject  due 
to  the  wide-spread  breaking  down  of  distinctions  between  private  and 
governmental  agencies  during  the  War  or  during  a  flood,  conflagration 
or  other  local  disaster  when  it  was  necessary  to  mobilize  all  the 
community’s  resources  for  quick,  decisive  action.  So,  during  the 
crisis  of  a  disease,  a  man  may  save  his  life  by  taking  a  drug.  But 
no  one  would  argue  from  this  that  he  should  continue  drug  taking 
after  he  has  recovered  from  the  disease.  Then  he  should  build  up 
his  health  by  means  less  immediate  but  more  permanent  in  their  effects. 


8 


The  committee  feels  it  necessary  to  make  this  statement 
because  there  has  grown  up  in  Pennsylvania  a  system  of 
interchange  between  private  and  official  agencies,  and  of 
grants  of  public  funds  to  private  agencies,  that  has  resulted 
in  a  lamentable  confusion  as  to  purpose  and  responsibility 
and  this  in  turn  has  resulted  in  a  lessened  efficiency.  Civic 
and  social  agencies,  whether  private  or  governmental,  are 
not  exempt  from  the  rule  that  one  can  not  serve  two  mas¬ 
ters.  The  private  agency  that  accepts  public  funds,  that 
must  consider  the  wishes  or  necessities  of  a  public  official, 
is  not  free  to  blaze  the  way.  Its  liberty  is  curtailed,  its  find¬ 
ings  and  recommendations  are  subject  to  the  suspicion  of' 
being  colored  by  motives  of  expediency.  The  governmental 
agency  that  carries  on  its  work  in  part  through  the  medium 
of  a  private  agency  or  by  the  aid  of  private  contributions, 
is  subject  to  the  suspicion  that  its  actions  are  influenced  by 
a  desire  to  retain  this  support.  Whatever  influence  a  pri¬ 
vate  agency  may  have  upon  a  public  agency  should  be  exer¬ 
cised  through  persuasion,  demonstration,  securing  legisla¬ 
tion  or  marshalling  public  opinion,  not  through  reward  in 
the  forms  of  service  or  contributions 

That  there  may  be  no  misunderstanding,  it  should  be 
repeated  that  this  clear  distinction  as  between  private  and 
governmental  agencies  does  not  prevent  the  closest  co-oper¬ 
ation,  nor  even  the  sharing  of  a  field  of  work,  provided  each 
maintains  its  independence  and  states  definitely  just  where 
its  responsibility  begins  and  ends.  Nor  does  it  prevent  joint 
or  representative  membership  on  a  commission  or  com¬ 
mittee  the  purpose  of  which  is  merely  to  investigate  or 
study  and  report,  or  the  purpose  of  which  is  purely  for  con¬ 
ference,  not  for  execution  or  administration 

Investigation  Should  Precede  Establishment 
of  a  New  Agency 

The  committee  makes  also  the  following  statement  of 
belief : 

That  whenever  it  is  proposed  by  any  individual  or 
group  of  citizens  or  by  any  governmental  body  to  establish 
a  new  social  or  civic  organization  or  department,  there 
should  be,  precedent  to  such  establishment,  a  careful  survey 


9 


both  of  the  existing  situation,  and  of  the  lessons  of  experi¬ 
ence  to  the  end  that  the  new  organization  may  meet  a  real 
need  and  may  most  effectively  supplement,  not  duplicate, 
what  is  being  done 

The  committee  is  moved  to  this  statement  of  belief 
because  there  has  been  duplication  in  the  past;  because  new 
organizations,  needed  elsewhere,  have  been  established 
where  a  similar  work  was  being  done;  because  new  organ¬ 
izations  or  institutions  have  been  so  located  that  they  can¬ 
not  expand  to  full  usefulness  or  even  so  that  their  imme¬ 
diate  usefulness  is  seriously  interfered  with;  and  because 
the  terms  of  the  foundation  in  some  instances  have  been 
so  narrow  as  to  prevent  readjustment  to  meet  changing 
conditions 

Philadelphia  has  many  social  and  civic  agencies.  Yet 
it  still  leaves  undone  many  things  for  which  these  agencies 
are  created.  The  agencies  are  seeking  earnestly  to  render 
efficient  service.  But  some,  under  the  terms  of  their  char¬ 
ter,  are  confined  to  a  lesser  work  when  a  greater  work  is 
urgently  needed.  Others  are  prevented  from  rendering  the 
gratest  possible  service  to  the  city  because  their  terri¬ 
tories  or  their  announced  purposes  overlap  those  of  similar 
organizations 

We  have  passed  the  pioneer  stage  in  social  work  when 
one  or  a  group  of  public  spirited  citizens  or  an  administra¬ 
tion  inspired  with  the  desire  to  serve  the  community  could 
without  misgiving  and  without  inquiry  decide  just  what  it 
should  do  and  where,  confident  that  in  the  great  urban 
wilderness  its  contribution  will  be  an  unqualified  asset.  We 
have  reached  the  stage  where  we  must  consider  what  has 
been  done  before  deciding  what  shall  be  added.  There  are 
sections  of  the  city  that  probably  contain  enough  agencies, 
especially  if  those  were  all  functioning  fully.  There  are 
others  that  have  been  overlooked  or  neglected.  There  are 
fields  of  social  work  occupied  by  agencies,  capable,  pro¬ 
gressive,  energetic,  but  not  adequately  supported.  There 
is  work  now  being  carried  on  by  private  agencies  that 
should  be  turned  over,  in  part  at  least,  to  governmental 
agencies,  leaving  these  private  agencies  free  to  devote  their 


io 


full  energies  to  their  proper  and  permanent  purposes.  What 
we  need  today  is  such  a  marshalling  of  our  resources  as  will 
make  evident  where  we  are  strong,  where  weak,  in  order 
that  future  efforts  may  count  where  they  are  most  needed 

II 

SOME  PROPOSALS  DEALING  WITH  NEEDS  OF  THE 

•  MOMENT 

A  careful  survey  of  the  existing  situation  and  confer¬ 
ences  with  those  engaged  in  active  work  would,  the  com¬ 
mittee  believes,  assure  greater  efficiency  in  the  future. 
Meanwhile  the  existing  agencies  are  seeking  a  basis  for 
co-operation  which  will  eliminate  overlapping  and  will  in¬ 
crease  to  a  maximum  our  use  of  our  present  social  resources. 
To  this  end  the  committee  submits  the  following  under 
three  heads.  The  first  has  to  do  with  governmental,  the 
second  and  third  with  private  agencies 

Governmental  Agencies 

1.  Insertion  in  the  proposed  new  state  constitution  of 

provisions  distinguishing  between  private  and 
governmental  agencies  as  in  the  Statement  of 
Principles.  When  government  subsidies  are 
withdrawn  from  private  agencies,  either  it  should 
be  done  gradually,  so  as  to  allow  a  period  for 
readjustment,  or  the  work  of  the  private  agency 
should  be  taken  over  by  the  government 

2.  The  co-ordination  of  the  work  of  state  agencies  deal¬ 

ing  with  social  and  health  matters.  This  can  be 
accomplished  partly  through  revision  of  the  Con¬ 
stitution,  partly  through  legislation.  It  involves 
a  clear  delimitation  of  the  function  of  state 
agencies  and  definite  statements  as  to  the  nature 
and  extent  of  their  co-operation  with  private 
agencies.  At  present  there  is  overlapping  and 
confusion 

3.  The  organization  of  the  Philadelphia  Department  of 

Public  Welfare  so  that  it  may  effectively  fulfil  its 
purposes 


n 


4.  An  adequate  system  of  mothers’  pensions.  The  pres¬ 

ent  system  is  so  inadequate  that  applications  two 
years  old  have  not  yet  been  reached 

The  committee  endorses  the  policy  adopted  by  the 
Mothers’  Assistance  Fund  of  supplementing  the 
income  of  widows  with  children  up  to  the  mini¬ 
mum  adopted  by  the  War  Risk  Insurance  Board 

5.  Improvement  and  stricter  enforcement  of  laws 

designed  to  protect  children 

At  present  it  is  difficult  to  fix  responsibility  upon 
those  who  illegally  employ  minors;  the  respon¬ 
sibility  for  enforcing  legislation  relative  to  street 
trades  is  shifted  from  one  department  to  another 

6.  Improvement  in  the  schools 

While  there  are  specific  needs  of  the  city’s  school 
system  that  appeal  with  special  force  to  certain 
members  of  the  committee  whose  work  has 
shown  them  the  importance  of  these  needs,  the 
consensus  of  opinion  is  that  the  great  need  today 
is  a  thorough  and  comprehensive  study  of  the 
whole  system  by  competent,  experienced  admin¬ 
istrators  and  specialists,  working  in  co-opera¬ 
tion  with  the  Board  of  Education.  Such  a  study 
should  result  in  recommendations  designed  to 
meet  adequately  all  the  city’s  educational  needs. 
Pending  such  a  study  and  recommendations 
efforts  to  secure  piece-meal  improvement,  even 
in  such  important  particulars  as  the  erection  of 
new  buildings — except  when  the  need  is  of  an 
emergent  character — is  likely  to  postpone  the 
day  when  Philadelphia  will  provide  properly  for 
the  schooling  of  its  children 

It  will  be  noted  that  this  program  does  not  include  pro¬ 
vision  for  more  public  institutions.  Schools  are  not  institu¬ 
tions  in  the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  used  here.  Neither 
under  the  succeeding  headings  does  it  include  provision  for 
more  private  institutions.  More  institutions  may  be  needed, 
but  the  need  is  not  obvious.  What  is  obvious  is  the  need 
for  better  service,  which  may  or  may  not  call  for  better 


12 


facilities  than  those  now  available,  for  clearer  definition,  a 
more  definite  placing  of  responsibility,  better  co-ordination 
and  higher  standards 

Moreover  the  committee  believes  that  the  ultimate  solu¬ 
tion  of  our  problem  is  to  be  reached  not  by  such  expedients 
as  removing  children  from  their  homes  to  institutions  or  by 
breaking  up  families,  but  by  so  strengthening  family  life,  by 
so  improving  environmental  and  community  conditions, 
that  the  need  of  institutions  as  places  of  refuge  will  be  con¬ 
stantly  diminished.  In  the  committee’s  view  institutions, 
whether  asylums,  hospitals  or  jails  are  in  large  degree  con¬ 
fessions  of  failure.  They  are  necessary  now.  They  will 
be  necessary  for  a  long  time  to  come.  So  far  as  we  can 
foresee  some  will  always  be  needed  for  a  small  proportion 
of  those  now  committed  to  them,  who  because  of  permanent 
disabilities  can  never  be  permitted  to  share  in  normal  family 
and  community  life.  For  these  we  shall  be  forced  to  provide 
better  institutions  as  our  knowledge  of  their  needs  increases. 
But  in  increasing  degree  we  shall  regard  institutions  as 
means  of  meeting  temporary  and  exceptional  situations 
with  which  we  are  not  yet  equipped  to  deal  in  the  best  way. 
So  the  committee  lays  emphasis  upon  those  services  which 
aid  in  strengthening  and  building  up  the  normal,  wholesome 
life  that  centers  in  the  family 

Private  Agencies — Co-ordination  of  Work, 

Standardization  of  Methods 

The  need  for  co-ordination  has  long  been  evident  and 
considerable  progress  toward  it  has  been  made.  Several 
years  ago  three  child  placing  agencies  agreed  upon  a  plan 
which  prevented  much  duplication.  More  recently  the  lead¬ 
ing  day  nurseries  formed  an  association  through  which  they 
have  been  able  to  increase  their  effectiveness  and  raise  their 
standards.  Other  neighborhood  agencies  having  a  common 
purpose,  as  the  settlements,  have  made  a  beginning  of  asso¬ 
ciation.  At  the  same  time  groups  of  local  agencies,  diverse 
in  immediate  purpose  but  serving  the  same  neighborhood, 
have  been  drawn  together  by  their  desire  to  work  out  a  well 
co-ordinated  social  program  for  their  particular  section  of 
the  city.  During  the  past  three  years  this  movement 


13 


affected  the  city  wide  agencies.  There  has  been  a  more 
general  acceptance  of  the  truth  that  all  are  working  on  one 
great  social  problem,  however  far  apart  the  points  from 
which  they  attack  it 

This  acceptance  makes  it  easier  to  secure  acceptance  of 
a  policy  of  co-ordination  that  will  reduce  duplication  and 
will  show  how  much  of  the  field  is  not  now  touched.  But 
every  step  in  the  direction  of  co-ordinating  social  agencies 
must  be  taken  with  care  lest  we  lose  more  than  we  gain. 
Anarchy  is  the  opposite  of  socialism,  but  because  we  would 
avoid  the  one  we  need  not  embrace  the  other 

That  we  should  secure  better  co-ordination  is  evident 
and  for  this  purpose  the  committee  has  agreed  to  select  a 
certain  area  in  which  each  of  the  city  wide  and  neighbor¬ 
hood  agencies  will  seek  to : 

1.  Bring  its  work  up  to  the  utmost  efficiency.  This 

may  involve  improvement  of  organization,  per¬ 
sonnel  standards  or  methods,  or  all  of  them 

2.  Develop  thorough  co-operation  with  other  private 

and  governmental  agencies.  This  will  involve  a 
definite,  clear  cut  statement  or  restatement  of 
purpose  or  of  function.  At  present  some  agencies 
are  not  themselves  clear  as  to  their  exact  func¬ 
tion,  others  have  not  stated  their  function  so 
that  co-operating  agencies  may  know  definitely 
what  it  is.  Lack  of  such  statement  leads  to 
vagueness,  uncertainty  and  misunderstanding 

3.  Meet  the  needs  of  the  community  fully.  We  all  real¬ 

ize  that  these  needs  are  now  only  partially  met, 
partly  because  our  resources  are  not  utilized  to 
the  utmost.  By  selecting  a  comparatively  small 
district  and  in  this  district  eliminating  all  waste 
and  duplication  it  is  hoped  that  each  agency  will 
there  be  able  to  develop  its  work  until  it  applies 
the  best  standards  and  meets  entirely  the  need 
in  its  field.  This  inevitably  means  an  increase  of 
personnel  and  of  expenditure  on  the  part  of  many 
agencies  until  the  peak  is  reached,  i.  e.,  until  the 
existing  need  is  fully  met.  From  that  time,  how- 


ever,  the  burden  should  grow  lighter  for  instead 
of  trailing  behind  we  shall  have  gotten  ahead  of 
our  task  and  have  begun  to  reduce  its  causes. 
When  experience  in  the  selected  area  has  demon¬ 
strated  the  practicability  of  any  of  our  proposals 
they  should  be  applied  throughout  the  city  as  fast 
as  means  permit 

Obviously  this  is  not  a  temporary  experiment,  but 
the  beginning  of  careful,  thorough  constructive 
work  which  will  take  several  years  to  reach  its 
culmination  and  which,  having  proved  itself,  will 
continue 

Private  Agencies — Facilities,  Standards, 

Methods,  Purposes 

Aside  from  work  in  the  selected  area  it  now  appears 
evident  that  many  city  wide  and  neighborhood  agencies 
could  increase  their  usefulness  by: 

1.  Improved  facilities 

2.  Better  trained  workers 

3.  Better  methods 

4.  Study  of  purposes  and  limitation  of  charters 

Many  of  our  agencies  should  re-examine  their  charters, 
constitutions  or  statements  of  purposes  to  see  if  a  reword¬ 
ing  of  these  would  not  increase  their  usefulness  without 
infringing  on  fields  occupied  by  other  agencies.  But  beyond 
this  there  appears  to  be  especial  need  for  improved  facilities 
for 

A.  Recreational  work 

B.  Constructive  work  with  difficult  boys,  14  years  of 

age  and  older,  similar  to  that  done  by  the  Girls’ 
Aid 

C.  The  temporary  care  of  children  who  are  separated 

from  their  families 

D.  Child  placing 

The  last  item  is  due  to  the  fact  that  child  placing  is  now 
in  the  hands  of  governmental  agencies  not  specifically 
charged  with  such  work  or  in  those  of  agencies  partly  gov¬ 
ernmental,  partly  private.  In  accordance  with  preceding 


i5 


statements,  the  committee  believes  that  governmental  work 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  one  agency,  the  functions  of  which 
should  be  clearly  defined.  So  only  can  responsibility  be 
definitely  placed.  This  agency  should  be  supplemented  by 
an  independent  private  child  placing  agency,  supervised  by 
the  proper  government  officials,  but  not  subsidized  by  pub¬ 
lic  funds  or  controlled  by  officers  or  board  members  who 
occupy  public  office 

Not  only  should  facilities  be  improved,  but  in  some 
cases  better  use  should  be  made  of  those  we  now  have. 
Higher  standards  and  better  methods  are  perpetual  needs. 
Few  if  any  agencies  are  now  satisfied  with  their  present 
standards  or  methods.  The  great  majority  are  constantly 
seeking — and  securing — improvement.  A  well  planned 
co-ordination  will  make  possible  a  more  rapid  progress  and 
will  bring  up  those  now  lagging  behind.  Meanwhile  confer¬ 
ences  between  agencies  of  like  kind  and  the  work  of  such 
bodies  as  the  Charities’  Endorsement  Committee  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce — which  is  seeking  to  set  minimum 
standards — should  be  encouraged 

The  above  program  is  supposed  to  cover  only  the  most 
obvious  immediate  needs.  If  all  the  items  on  this  program 
could  be  realized  at  once  not  only  would  our  infant,  child 
and  general  death  rates  be  cut  down,  not  only  would  the 
lives  of  all  of  us  be  made  better  worth  living,  but  the  next 
generation  would  be  stronger,  abler,  better  citizens  and  bet¬ 
ter  workers  than  they  will  be 

Yet  if  this  program  were  today  realized  in  full  it  would 
but  open  the  way  for  another  program,  for  this  deals  with 
primary  needs.  In  spirit  it  is  constructive,  for  it  lays  little 
emphasis  on  the  merely  negative,  on  rescue  and  cure.  With 
such  negative  work  as  is  still  necessary — and  in  volume  it 
continues  to  be  the  heavy  end  of  the  burden — goes  an  in¬ 
creasing  amount  of  constructive  work.  When  the  con¬ 
structive  work  becomes  the  heavy  end  of  the  burden,  when 
because  of  it  the  negative  work  has  been  reduced  to  a 
minimum  we  shall  have  a  new  outlook  on  life. 


16 


